The Wilderness at the Smokies Resort is a four-season facility set on 22.5 acres in the eastern region of the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee, just four miles south of Interstate 40. The
resort’s proximity to the Pigeon Forge vacation area draws
tourists and families who want to enjoy the surrounding natural
beauty and the relaxation of a one-of-a-kind waterpark resort
environment as part of their leisure experience.

The “Mountain Modern” themed resort complex consists
of a large curved wing of condominiums connecting to the core
amenities. It includes an indoor waterpark, which currently boasts
the first of four phases — retail area, arcade, deli,
restaurant and bar. Not-yet-completed timeshare units (by others)
will arc in the opposite direction, effectively surrounding the
outdoor waterpark, which also represents the first phase of a
multiphased aquatic design.

Nearby, the Sevierville Convention Center and attached
Wilderness at the Smokies Event Center Hotel are themed in the warm
“Mountain Modern” style as well. At this location, an
additional outdoor waterpark provides all the options guests could
ask for when planning the perfect family getaway.

The crowning achievement of the Wilderness at the Smokies
community is the Wild Water Dome Indoor Waterpark. Featuring
Tennessee’s first Texlon transparent roofing system, the
approximately 20,800 square feet of Texlon designed along the ridge
of the facility’s gable allows 75 percent of UV light into
the center of the waterpark, filling it with natural light. This
advanced ethylene tetra fluoro ethylene (ETFE) roof system not only
enables live tropical palm trees and vegetation to thrive
throughout the waterpark, but it also greatly reduces the amount of
artificial lighting required during daytime operating hours.

Additionally, this unique glazing system provides passive heat gain
from the sun throughout the year, further reducing building energy
demands by minimizing load requirements for air-handling equipment.
More than four air changes per hour, coupled with heat exchangers,
UV systems and advanced Whitten Pressure Sand Bi-Flow filtration
systems at all the park’s many pools add to significantly
improved air quality over more traditional natatorium, leisure and
indoor waterpark facilities. And it gives guests a comfort
experience of the highest standard.

The waterpark’s pool and ride attractions include the
Smokies Surf Rider- Tennessee’s first indoor Flow Rider.
Fifty-thousand gallons of water each minute flow under participants
to create 5-foot, ocean-like waves on this exciting ride. Combining
the thrills and skills of surfing, skateboarding and snowboarding
in one wet, wild and — best of all — safe environment,
the Smokies Surf Rider is one experience fans will try again and
again as they seek to master the unpredictable waves beneath their
boards.

At the Storm Chaser Water Thrill Ride, guests can enjoy a
scream-tastic, hair-raising adventure. Seated in four-person rafts,
riders plummet 58 feet down the dark tunnel ride before dropping
through a zero-gravity fall into a final funnel-shaped bowl where,
after several dizzying turns, they shoot through the center
opening, splashing into the landing pool below. Guests also can
enjoy the 10,000-square-foot wave pool, experiencing ocean wave
motion from their inner tubes while tanning in the sun streaming
from the roof above.

Kids flock to Washout Mountain, a multilevel water-play feature
with slides, spraying waterfeatures and an enormous tipping bucket
that tilts at intervals, splashing those waiting below. The
additional tube slide selections and 1,000-square-foot Magnolia
Grove Hot Spa indoor/outdoor hot tub are among the many feature
areas that guests can enjoy on their visits to the Wild Water Dome
Indoor Waterpark and the Wilderness at the Smokies Resort.

Delivered on time and on budget, the owner, architect, aquatic
design/builder, general contractor and major vendors all teamed to
plan and construct this signature facility. With its natural light,
live vegetation, water-saving filtration, advanced sanitization
systems, state-of-the-art air-handling systems and unique design,
the Wild Water Dome provides visitors to the Eastern Tennessee
Smokey Mountain Region fun in the sun 365 days of the year.